Sorido Bay Resort

Situated on a prime site in Raja Ampat is Sorido Bay Resort, in the heart of the greatest marine biodiversity known to science. 374 fish species recorded on their house reef in a single dive tells its own story. Despite its remote location, a vacation stay at Sorido Bay promises high comfort levels yet minimal environmental impact.

7 beautiful air-conditioned sea view cottages sit on the land, overlooking the turquoise waters of Raja Ampat. The resort is centred around a large open-air lounge with a wet area downstairs and dry area upstairs. Free WiFi is available in the lounge and cottages. There are TVs in the cottages, and the lounge which also features a movie library, shop and a museum full of WWII artefacts.

The resort suggests fixed dates for 7 and 10 night vacation packages, although with additional costs you can make your own itinerary. Because of the quality of sites right on your doorstep, most guests opt for the unlimited diving package with nitrox. Enriched air nitrox is complimentary to all nitrox-certified divers at this resort. While remote and surrounded by nature, the aim of Sorido Bay is to provide you with a service that is both luxurious and personalised.

How to get there:
Sorido Bay Resort is located on Kri Island, Raja Ampat, 75 km northwest off the coast of West Papua. The accommodation offers complimentary return boat transfers for Sunday arrivals (7, 10, 14 , 17 and 21 night packages) from Sorong airport, West Papua. Complimentary transfers are also available for Thursday arrivals (10 nights stay). The journey takes about 2 hours by speedboat from Sorong at 09:00 am.

You can fly directly to Sorong from Bali or Jakarta. We recommend Sriwijaya Air SJ-598/570 departing Jakarta ~12:30 am arriving Sorong ~07:45 am; no overnight transit is necessary. Note that special private transfers can be arranged for arrival and departure from Monday to Friday at an additional cost. Please ask us for more details. For more information see our West Papua travel information section.

Dive clubs and group discounts:
Pay for 10 guests and receive 1 extra place free of charge. Pay for 15 guests and receive 2 extra places free of charge.

Sorido Bay's holiday accommodation consists of 7 cottages: 5 double/twin 'Sentani' cottages and 2 'Kaimana' cottages which can be double, 3-share or 4-share depending on the desired configuration. All are air-conditioned with king-sized beds, a minibar and TV. Private ensuite bathrooms featured in all cottages have hot water showers, hairdryers and towels. With high ceilings and wooden floors the accommodation at Sorido Bay is spacious and stylish while maintaining a light ecological footprint.

Most days consist of 3 guided boat dives (2 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon) and an optional dusk or night dive. Most of the dives take place at the excellent local sites of the Dampier Strait with the dive boat returning to the resort after each dive. Sites include Cape Kri, Sardines, Manta Sandy, Blue Magic and Mios Kon. There are 30 or so sites within a 10 km radius of Sorido Bay.

Saturdays are days of rest for the guides but if you have taken the unlimited diving package you are welcome to explore the house reef unguided as much as you wish. Trips to more distant sites elsewhere in Raja Ampat like the Jef Fam Islands, the Passage and Wai Island can be arranged at additional cost, if desired.

The boats are small and built locally from fibreglass with 2 x 40 HP engines. They take up to 6 divers with a captain and 2 dive staff. There is equipment storage space, ladders, shade and Wenoll oxygen kits. Lunch (full day trip) or snacks (half day trip), and drinking water are provided on boat trips. These excursions leave between 07-08:00 am.

The resort dive facilities include complimentary nitrox, jetty shower, equipment storage, camera table & rinse tank, 12 litre tanks, emergency oxygen and first aid. All your scuba gear is washed by the staff and stored in the equipment room on the jetty. There's virtually no need for guests to carry anything. We recommend you bring your own equipment since scuba rental supply is limited and there are no wetsuits.

Sorido Bay is a comfortable accommodation in a very remote and pristine environment. You can expect a high level of service but a relatively simple resort in terms of facilities. The ocean is your swimming pool, for example; tree kangaroos, the entertainment.

The main building is home to the dining area, lounge, library and museum. There is free WiFi both here and in the cottages, and a free guest laundry service. The majority of guests are serious divers who spend most of their time underwater and simply relax and enjoy the calm, natural surroundings during surface intervals.

Meals are served buffet-style in the dining area in the main lounge building at Sorido Bay. You can look forward to a range of international cuisine and Indonesian specialties during your stay. Typically there will be choices of salads, pasta and rice dishes as well as meat, seafood and curries. Appetisers are served half an hour before dinner and a desert is created by the in-house patisier.

Fruits, coffee, tea and cookies are available throughout the day. Beers, juices and canned soft drinks are available for purchase.

Each day begins with a cooked breakfast including eggs, home-made bread, fresh fruit, muffins and some traditional Indonesian breakfast dishes. Freshly squeezed fruit juice, tea and coffee are also provided.

Given the remote location, effort will be made to cater to all dietary requirements and advance notice is highly recommended.

The nearest hyperbaric chamber and hospital is in Waisai, approximately 1 hour boat ride away. Dive insurance is mandatory - see our insurance programme for a competitive quotation.

The boats are equipped with GPS, flares, VHF radio, mobile phone, and an emergency first aid kit including oxygen. 1 guide is provided for every 3 divers. The resort has 76,000 litres of emergency oxygen, a first aid kit, and a satellite telephone for emergency use.

Sorido Bay has room safes for guest valuables. There is a police station 50 minutes away.